Padres Mailbag: Garfinkel's gone, next?

From left Kevin O'Malley, Brian O'Malley Tom Seidler, Peter Seidler and Ron Fowler of the San Diego Padres new ownership group, along with Padres CEO Tom Garfinkel and GM Josh Byrnes attended a news conference at Petco Park to talk about the new ownership deal on Wednesday, August 29, 2012.
— K.C. Alfred

From left Kevin O'Malley, Brian O'Malley Tom Seidler, Peter Seidler and Ron Fowler of the San Diego Padres new ownership group, along with Padres CEO Tom Garfinkel and GM Josh Byrnes attended a news conference at Petco Park to talk about the new ownership deal on Wednesday, August 29, 2012.
— K.C. Alfred

A: Sadly, Blanks had been playing with Achilles tendinitis in his left heel for several weeks before he went on the disabled list. It was not a phantom injury. Blanks had been missing games sporadically the past several weeks when the tendinitis flared up. Alonso’s return paralleled a flare up of the tendinitis. The Padres decided it was a perfect time to get Blanks off his feet.

Q: Left-handed starter Clayton Richard is making ($5.24 million) this season and is through for the season and awaiting shoulder surgery. Do the Padres keep him or non-tender him? J.T. A., Santee

A: My guess is that the Padres will non-tender Richard and try to sign him back the way they did Tim Stauffer.

Q: It seems like the Padres have a lot of games where they strike out nine of more times. Do other teams have the same problem. Who is responsible? Harry O., San Diego

A:Only three National League teams have more strikeouts than the Padres (760) – Atlanta (827), New York (795) and Pittsburgh (779). Two of those teams lead their division. Atlanta also leads the league in homers (112) as an all-or-nothing team. Only six teams have fewer homers than the Padres. Hitting coaches Phil Plantier and Alonzo Powell work continually in this area. The Padres have improved. Two seasons ago they had the most strikeouts and fewest homers in the league. That is a terrible combination. The Padres are averaging 7.9 strikeouts a game and have struck out nine or more times in 38 of their first 96 games.

Q: What will it take for Bud Black to be replaced? How much accountability and influence should the manager and coaches take in regards to the outcome? Fred H. Carlsbad

A: I honestly believe that managers are not that much better than the talent they have. It is the manager’s job to get the most out of the talent he has. Black was named the National League Manager of the Year in 2010 when the Padres won 90 games. While I think the position player talent has improved for the Padres has improved in 2013, the pitching might be as bad as it’s been since Black arrived here in 2007. I think Black has at least another year under the new owners. Sooner or later, you have to win.

Q: Please don’t tell me the Padres are still buyers at the deadline. J.M., San Diego

A: I don’t think they are. Just before the break, Byrnes said he was re-evaluating the club’s position on what they will do at the July 31 deadline. Byrnes said that when the Padres were two games above .500 at 38-36 on June 21, he was “kicking the tires on some possible” deals to improve the Padres. Since then, the Padres have gone 4-18. They would have to climb over four teams to get to the top of the N.L. West and are 11 games behind in the Wild Card race. Sell.